Okay, finally got a few minutes to post my first write-up! Go easy on me. Anyway, recently I had the opportunity to work on a Cobra replica with a fairly unique color combo. Since the owner's intention was NOT to keep her as a garage queen (which I applaud), it was decided, given the parameters of time and budget, that I'd be going for the best results possible, short of wetsanding. Luckily, the owner was pretty knowledgeable and aware of her blemishes, and was not expecting perfection. He was hoping to get at least several more years out of here before he seriously considered repainting. CG Citrus Wash and Clear w/Dawn Uber sponge Monster Waffle Pinnacle Speed Clay Tons of various MF Menz SIP/106/85RD Cyan/ Uber Orange, Green, Black Optimum Metal etc. etc. (sorry, it's late) Total time: 21 hours Here she is on delivery, actually not looking too bad. Makes ya wanna jump right in, no? The sun never lies. That kinda sounds like a James Bond title or something. The gold colored stripes are actually an old Chrysler color named "Chestnut." And the green is an old GM color named "Spruce Pearlcoat." Needless to say, someone had been accessing the engine recently. The next afternoon arrived, and it was time to carefully wash it down. Thanks, Carroll. Love having to tape up the interior! CG Citrus Wash and Clear w/Dawn Uber sponge Monster Waffle Avoid water in the hood scoop? Check. This was just the hood. Pinnacle Speed Clay First look under the lights at the passenger side hood clip. A good look at a cluster of RIDS near the passenger side windshield. And another look at the same general area. Ouch. Same spot after a pass or two of SIP/Cyan. Okay, now were getting somewhere (right rear fender finished). Left rear fender. For whatever reason, the color reacted differently under certain lights and angles (and it *may* have had something to do with a crappy point and shoot camera as well....*maybe*). It also seemed like I was changing up combos for each panel on this thing. Seen here is SIP/Uber Orange. I really liked the way the metal flake was starting to look. 50/50. Time for the over-riders to come off for easier access. Car = glamorous. Job = not so much. Before shot of driver side front fender. After a couple passes of SIP/Cyan. Action shot! Hmm, also noticed that the towel I had covering the tire is gone. Must be towel gnomes or something. :/ Okay, for whatever reason, several of the "after" shots from the previous spot are missing. Picture gnomes? Anyway, this shot at some point in the process will have to suffice, I guess. Here's another for good measure. Random shot of the gold stripe looking better. Windshield removed to access tighter spots. SIP/Uber Orange/PC on 6 did the trick. After all the polishing and a final wash was complete, it was IPA wipedown time. And then the snake wanted a look at the results. The interior was not in the original plans, but when time permits, I always go above and beyond the call of duty. Plus, it was gonna be featured in a Veterans Day parade soon, so you can't be hauling the prom queen around without it looking its best, right? A simple vacuuming, vinyl cleaning, etc., helped tighten things up a bit. Initial round of Black Wow on the grill. Obviously, it'd take a little more attention. 50/50 of the wheels after Optimum Metal. I had been wanting to try some Dodo, so I figured this would be a nice canvas for some Blue Velvet. It didn't disappoint in it's application, removal, or look. Time for some afters (inside first). Please ignore that pesky dust that settled on the finish. Also, there were a bunch of fisheyes present around the front end. The owner was well aware of them beforehand, and not really concerned. It's nice to work with an owner who understood the reason they were there in the first place. As you can see, 100% correction was not achieved on the RIDS here, but as mentioned, it was not the goal either. A more aggressive approach would have certainly yielded even better results, but overall, the owner and myself were both satisfied. Again, considering the working parameters, not too bad when all was said an done. The next morning it was rolled out for delivery. It's always a great feeling when the owner's first words are "wait, where's MY car?" :thumb: We cranked her up and let her sit for a few minutes just to wake the neighbors. :headbang: I wish the sun had been a bit more cooperative, but oh well. Happy belated Veterans Day, folks! The end. Questions, comments, suggestions, etc. are all welcomed. Thanks for viewing!
wow. damn man replica or not that is one sweet car and the color scheme is real nice. The work that was done was huge. Big results came from your work from the correction on the paint down to the grill and polishing of the rims. What's your secret on polishing rim lips? That came out fantastic!
You did an awesome job nice work it came out looking great. Your attention to detail is great, to remove the windshield and the overriders shows your dedication to your work.
For a first write up things look great to me!!! nice car and color, the only thing in the future you can do to help is with the wash portion and utilize a "Fireman's hose nozzle" set to soak and no taping will be needed. Also noted you have hearing protection which has saved my ears after 20 plus years of polishing with machines.
Believe it or not, just Optimum Metal, terry cloth towel, some elbow grease, and a steady hand yielded those results. Thanks for the compliment! Thanks, Bob. I've definitely watched and learned from some of the best! :thumb: Very true about the Fireman's hose nozzle. It would certainly help matters a bit. My train of thought here was that I was gonna want to protect the interior from potential dusting anyway, so I figured I'd try and kill two birds with one stone in this case. And yeah, ear protection is crucial!! Thanks to everyone for the compliments!
